Changes keep coming to Disney World! It seems like just yesterday rides were adding more plexiglass, but now some attractions are loading all rows, masks needn’t be worn outdoors, and more restaurants are reopening! 

Another noticeable change? Physical distancing markers are starting to disappear, as we saw today at TWO classic Magic Kingdom line queues!

Amidst the never-ending changes coming from Disney, the latest news bomb is that starting SOON, face masks will be optional in most Disney World locations.

Part of that news was that Disney World would also be relaxing social distancing guidelines, so it’s really no wonder that more BIG changes are making the parks feel more like “normal,” like with the removal of physical distancing markers. 

We’ve already seen some major physical distancing changes at shows and throughout the parks, and while adventuring through Adventureland today at Magic Kingdom, we noticed the floor markers have entirely disappeared from both Jungle Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean. We’ve noticed markers disappear in extended queues before, but now we’re starting to see this in the actual queue.

It feels like just yesterday attractions like this were installing MORE plexiglass, but what a difference a few months can make! 

Now, while plexiglass is still up in the queue, floor markers are gone from Pirates. 

Ditto in the Jungle Cruise queue! 

You can still see the remnants of where the floor markers were.

Seemingly overnight, ride queues are looking like they’re back to normal again! 

We also noticed this at Splash Mountain, and a Cast Member confirmed that the markers there were removed last night. The Cast Member also mentioned that they are removing the markers from each ride at its own pace, so we’ll continue to keep checking on this. We’ll keep you posted on physical distancing markers (or lack thereof), so stay tuned! 

Disney World’s Mask Policy For Theaters Has Changed — Here’s What It Looks Like Now

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How do you feel about the removal of physical distancing markers in Disney World? Let us know in the comments!

The post PHOTOS: Disney World Ride Queues Are Starting to Look Normal Again first appeared on the disney food blog.

Hello from Disney California Adventure’s Avengers Campus!

We’ve been busy saying hello to some of our favorite superheroes, but we’ve also spent A LOT of time checking out all the Marvel-inspired eats and drinks!

And today, we were back at the Shawarma Palace (you can read our full lunch/dinner review here) for breakfast where they’re serving up an Impossible Breakfast Sha-Warm-Up. 

This is a Plant-based Breakfast Sausage & Egg Omelet Wrap with Dairy-Free American Cheese and Crispy Potato Bites served with Spiced Maple Syrup.

We’ll just tell you now that our favorite parts of this wrap were the potato bites, along with the spicy syrup. However, the plant-based sausage was pretty good, too!

However, we weren’t big fans of the plant-based egg and cheese, although guests who are used to egg and cheese alternatives would probably enjoy it! It’s a very solid option for Disneyland guests who are plant-based!

Most of the options in the land require a Mobile Order, which has had a few issues with the crowds coming to Avengers Campus. If you aren’t having luck Mobile Ordering somewhere else, consider waiting in line for one of these!

This wrap, which is $12.49, is a quick and easy option for breakfast at Avengers Campus. And, again, if you’re wanting more plant-based options in the park, this is another one to add to your list!

Check Out Our Review of Lunch/Dinner at Shawarma Palace!

Have you tried plant-based options at Disney Parks? Let us know in the comments!

The post REVIEW: Should You Eat Breakfast At Shawarma Palace in Disney’s Avengers Campus? first appeared on the disney food blog.

There are SO many different Disney-owned hotels and off-property hotels near Walt Disney World, it can be difficult to know just where to stay for your upcoming trip.

One of the biggest factors in picking a hotel can be its cost. Today we’re taking a look at just how much it costs to stay at Disney World-owned and operated hotels, and what the costs would look like if you opted instead to stay at other hotels on property or other hotels nearby.

For our little pricing experiment we took a look at what things would cost for a proposed vacation this year in late August. Specifically, we planned a little weekend getaway where we would check in on August 27th and check out on August 30th. We priced this trip for 2 adults staying in 1 room.

We’ve got to put this little disclaimer before we dive in. Hotel prices can vary GREATLY depending on a number of factors including when you choose to visit, how many rooms you want to reserve, etc. This is just meant to be one example of what different rooms could cost, but you’ll want to price it out to see how those costs differ for your trip.

Alright, let’s dive in!

Disney World Owned and Operated Hotels

First, we’ll look at Disney World owned and operated hotels. For the dates we searched, here’s a look at the estimated costs:

Lower Cost

• The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort — $109.33 per night, which can be brought down to $98.40 per night if you take advantage of their special summer savings offer (this is for a full hook-up campsite)
• Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort — $169.67 per night, which is brought down to $152.70 per night (preferred room) with their summer savings offer

Mid-Level Cost

• The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort — $405.67 per night, discounted to $324.53 with the summer savings offer (wilderness cabin has 1 queen bed, 1 bunk bed, and 1 double size-sleeper sofa)
• Disney’s Art of Animation Resort — $468.00 per night, which is brought down to $374.40 with Disney’s summer savings offer (Lion King or Cars Family suites are included at this price)

High Cost

• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge — $701.00 per night, down to $525.75 with the summer deal (1-bedroom villa with 1 king bed and 1 queen size sleeper sofa)
• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort — $840.00 per night, down to $756.00 with Disney’s summer deal (1 bedroom villa with 1 king bed, 1 queen size sleeper sofa, and 1 twin size sleeper chair)

These “high cost” resorts are from just looking at the main Disney hotel page. If you click into the individual resorts and actually search for suites or other special rooms, you could likely find more expensive offerings.

Overall, that brings us a range of $98.40 to $756.00 for Disney’s rooms (taking into account that summer savings).

Click here to learn more about the special deal that could help you save BIG on Disney hotel rooms this summer.

Disney Springs Area Resorts

Next, we’ll take a look at the Disney Springs area resorts. These are all hotels located right next to Disney Springs. They are technically “on” Disney World property, but are not owned or operated by Disney.

• B Resort and Spa: $95 per night for their “Chic Rooms” located in the Lanai section of the hotel, up to $139 per night for the Posh Suite (with the special savings code currently available — promo code: hpaspec) (if you search without this savings code you’ll find more rooms at a variety of more expensive prices)
• Double Tree Suites by Hilton Orlando: $100 a night if you “quick book” a 1 bedroom suite with 2 queens and a sofa bed, up to to $237 if you “quick book” a 2 bedroom suite with 1 king/2 queens and a sofa bed (again, this is using the Disney Springs spa rate, you can remove that special rate to see more rooms and prices)

• Hilton Lake Buena Vista: as low as $97 per night for a guest room with 1 king bed, up to $477 per night for a one bedroom suite with 2 queen beds and a parlor

This is just a look at some of the Disney Springs area hotels. There are a few others that fall in this category as well and you can search for their special offers and prices.

Click here to see special rates being offered at Disney Springs area hotels for first responders and educators.

Other Hotels That Are On Property or Surrounded by Disney World Resort

Now, we’ll turn to more Disney World hotels that are not owned and operated by Disney World but are either on property or are essentially surrounded by Walt Disney World Resort.

For example, there’s the Four Seasons Orlando, which is located within the Walt Disney World Resort. For the same dates discussed above, a four seasons room with 2 queen beds would cost around $677.67 per night.

Or you could go BIG with the grand suite for $6,219 per night. Talk about pricey!!

There are also some hotels in the Bonnet Creek area, which is essentially surrounded by Walt Disney World Resort. Here are some prices:

• Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek: starting at $209 per night (1 king bed) and going up to $640 per night (executive suite 1 king Disney view)
• Wyndham Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek: starting at $159.20 (with a save 20% sale rate) per night for a deluxe 1 king room

You could also opt for a stay at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, or the new Swan Reserve (when it opens later this year), with walking access to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Here’s a look at the cost for the Swan on the nights we’re looking at as part of this experiment: $245 per night (traditional guest room 1 king bed, prepay, non-refundable, non-changeable, non-member) up to $382 per night (standard fees, 1 king bed, balcony, alcove guest room, flexible non-member rate).

Flamingo Crossings

Flamingo Crossings Town Center is a shopping, dining, and hotel area that is under development and located just a few minutes away from Disney World. You can see the Residence Inn at Flamingo Town Center in the upper right area and Animal Kingdom near the bottom/center of the map.

Here’s a peek at the prices for some of the Flamingo Crossings hotels:

• Springhill Suites: $98 per night (pre-pay non-refundable non-member price for a suite with 1 king bed and a sofa bed) to $125 per night (standard, flexible rate, non-member, suite with 2 queen beds and a sofa bed)

• Fairfield Inn and Suites: $149 per night (pre-pay, non-refundable, non-member rate for a 1 king room) to around $205 per night (standard, flexible rate, non-member, larger guest room with 2 queens and a corner room)

Other Hotels

And finally, we’ll take a look at some pricing for other hotels near Walt Disney World.

First, the Gaylord Palms can be a popular spot with some of its unique amenities and fun features. The prices here range from $206.33 per night for a King Room (Florida View) to around $339 per night for the Emerald Bay Room with 2 queen beds (Main Atrium view).

We also looked at a number of hotel booking sites to see some other options. On Expedia, there are a number of options at a variety of costs. We limited our search to only 4 and 5 star selections. The cheapest option was priced at $96 per night for a stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton at the entrance to Universal Orlando.

From there, prices went up all the way to $947 per night for a stay at a villa in Reunion Encore.

On Booking.com there were also some choices. We limited our search to 4 and 5 star hotels. The cheapest option was a stay at Delta Hotels by Marriott Orlando Lake Buena Vista for $272 for 3 nights.

On Hotels.com, the cheapest option (out of the 4 and 5 star hotels) was again the Delta Hotels by Marriott Orlando Lake Buena Vista at $82 per night.

On Trivago (again only 4 and 5 star hotels), you could stay at the Best Western Orlando Gateway Hotel for $67 per night. And, of course, there were more options in that $60-80 range, and others higher in price.

Basically, there are a LOT of options when it comes to hotels around Disney World. Staying at some non-Disney-owned and operated hotels can save you some money, but some of those non-Disney hotels can also get VERY pricey. It all depends on where you choose to stay, what type of room you pick, when you visit, and other factors.

Not sure where to start when picking your hotel? All these options feel a bit overwhelming? You can make your planning a lot simpler if you work with our friends over at Small World Vacations. They’ve got loads of experience planning vacations to Disney World and can help you navigate through the planning and booking process, providing you with helpful insights and all kinds of savings. Plus, their services are TOTALLY FREE!!! You’ll find all of their contact information below so you can reach out to one of their representatives and get started booking your trip,

We hope this article has been helpful in giving you an idea of just what some hotels can cost around Disney World. We’ll be on the lookout for more discounts and deals that you could use for future hotel stays and let you know what we find.

Click here to see our page full of information about Disney World discounts and deals!

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What hotel do you like to stay at when visiting Disney World? Tell us in the comments. 

The post How Do Disney World Hotel Prices Compare to Off-Property Resorts? first appeared on the disney food blog.

If you’ve visited Magic Kingdom recently, you’ve probably noticed some construction taking place in Tomorrowland.

That’s TRON Lightcycle Run, a high-speed rollercoaster that Disney calls a “thrilling race through the digital frontier.” Originally, the ride was supposed to open in time for Disney World’s 50th anniversary on October 1st, 2021, but the project has reportedly been delayed. However, construction is still goin’ on! So you may be wondering exactly HOW much progress has been made…and how much is left to go.

What Is TRON Lightcycle Run?

If TRON Lightcycle Run sounds familiar to you, it may be because this ride has been open in Shanghai Disneyland since 2016! The Magic Kingdom version is expected to be very similar. Guests will board 2-wheeled Lightcycles (which look sorta like motorcycles) and zoom up to 59 miles per hour. And while that IS speedy, it won’t quite top Test Track for the fastest ride in Disney World.

This coaster is indoors, and lighting is expected to play a HUGE part in the experience. You’ll see panels that shift based on light, so your ride will look different in the daytime vs. at night!

That all sounds SUPER cool, right?! But when do we actually get to ride it? Well, let’s take a peek at the construction progress so far.

Read MORE about TRON Lightcycle Run here! 

Construction Progress

Construction on TRON Lightcycle Run kicked off in 2018, and we’ve been following it closely ever since. We watched as paneling was added to the show building…

…while the outdoor canopy was installed…

…and further developed!

But by looking at these pictures, it doesn’t seem that the project is close to completion. Aerial photos of the construction site indicate that, while the show building looks pretty intact (at least from what we can see), the canopy and outdoor portion still appear to have a long way to go.

These aerial pictures were taken in April 2021, but even though construction has been moving along since then, we’re still not seeing significant progress (at least from an outside-looking-in perspective).

Here’s a peek at the area earlier this month.

As you can see, it certainly doesn’t seem like TRON will reach its original goal of an October 1st opening.

When Will TRON Open?

Although Disney has yet to officially confirm it, it doesn’t appear that TRON will open at all in 2021. While we’re getting opening timelines and updates for other projects like Space 220 and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Disney has been pretty silent as far as TRON is concerned. We certainly haven’t gotten the same peek behind-the-scenes as we have with other projects like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind!

It’s safe to guess TRON may open in 2022, but there is no official timeline for the project. And while construction has made LOTS of progress since 2018, there’s still a long way to go.

We’re definitely excited to ride TRON when it DOES open! We’re constantly keeping an eye out for new updates, and we’ll continue to watch the construction progress closely. Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney news!

Learn More About TRON Lightcycle Run!

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Are you excited to ride TRON Lightcycle Run? Let us know in the comments!

The post How Much Progress Has Disney World Really Made on TRON Lightcycle Run? first appeared on the disney food blog.

We can never get enough Magical Moments! These extra special experiences are Disney World’s bread and butter, and it’s always incredible to witness fairy tales come to life!

It’s rare, though, that we get a glimpse behind the curtain, which is why we were practically giddy when we stumbled upon a Cinderella-worthy carriage outside of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort in Disney World!

From the Skyliner to the gorgeous new walkway connecting Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom, there are a LOT of magical options when it comes to transportation in Disney World!

But let’s face it: it doesn’t get more magical than a horse-drawn carriage ride! It’s a special treat that makes guests feel like Disney royalty! You love to see it.

That’s why we were extra excited to see a horse-drawn carriage parked outside the Grand Floridian today! 

The whimsical, pumpkin-shaped carriage was sitting on the road in front of the resort, with six horses just chilling, and four Cast Members looking incredibly dapper in their regal wigs!

We can only assume they’re getting ready for an imminent Magical Moment, because this carriage is typically used in Disney weddings! Even though we wish we could ride around Disney World in one of these, we’ll cherish this inadvertent little meet-and-greet!

The BEST Thing That Ever Happened to Me in Disney World

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What’s the most magical moment you’ve seen in Disney World lately? Let us know in the comments!

The post PHOTOS: You Don’t See THIS in Disney World Every Day! first appeared on the disney food blog.

For our birthdays, we treat ourselves to birthday cake churros. For Queen Elizabeth’s birthday, she gets presents from Winnie the Pooh! Relatable! 

In honor of Her Majesty’s recent 95th birthday, Disney surprised the Queen with a special animated visit from residents of the Hundred Acre Wood, and we’re here for it!

To celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s momentous birthday, Disney paid homage to royalty by releasing an extra special surprise from Winnie the Pooh on its @disneyuk Instagram! 

According to Yahoo, Winnie the Pooh and the Royal Adventure is a brand new 45-second animated feature that stars Pooh and friends like Christopher Robin, Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore on an adventure through the woods to Windsor Castle! Apparently they were neighbors with royalty this whole time?!

Upon arrival, they surprise the Queen with a LARGE pot of honey from Pooh’s personal stash, so you KNOW that’s a big deal! 

Even cuter? The honey pot comes with a hand-written note, a purple bow, and 95 balloons! 

For Queen Elizabeth, a longtime fan of English author/Pooh creator A.A. Milne, we can only imagine how special this surprise was! 

Winnie the Pooh is Getting a Musical Stage Adaptation!

“It’s always an honour to draw Winnie the Pooh, and even more so when in the company of Her Majesty the Queen,” said Kim Raymond, a Winnie the Pool illustrator. “Disney wanted to create a touching story befitting of the world’s most loved bear, who for over 95 years, has touched the hearts of millions.”

You can watch the full animation below!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Disney UK (@disneyuk)

Suffice to say this is the sweetest way to celebrate a birthday, Disney-style! 

Your Day Isn’t Complete Until You See This Disney-inspired Birthday Cake

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Which Disney character would you love a surprise animation from? Let us know in the comments!

The post VIDEO: Disney Released a Special Winnie the Pooh Animation for Queen Elizabeth’s Birthday! first appeared on the disney food blog.

In a continued effort to revamp the look of Tomorrowland, Walt Disney World continues to systematically replace the pavement throughout the area. We have a few more updates about the project for you today. Areas of the pavement down the middle of the thoroughfare have gone from a lighter, worn hue to a darker, fresh looking color. Disney has systematically replaced small sections overnight, leaving areas of Tomorrowland cordoned off as the new pavement dries. This section of pavement is […]

The post PHOTOS: Pavement Replacement Moves Forward in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom appeared first on WDW News Today.